PLAYER PROFILE

STATISTICS & HISTORY

Roger “Rody” Cooney was a Brooklyn native who attended St. Francis College in the same city. Cooney was a mainstay of the famed Brooklyn Visitation for sixteen (1921-1936) seasons, While the Visitation never reached the mythic status of the Original Celtics, the team remained one of the top teams in pro basketball for over a dozen years. Cooney was a key performer on the squads that won Metropolitan League titles during 1923-24, 1924-25, 1926-27 and 1931-32 seasons. The Visitation also won the American Basketball League title in 1930-31. Cooney was never among the team’s leading scorers, but he was the vital cog that made the Visitation work. He was an excellent ball handler and playmaker. Despite weighing barely 140 pounds , Cooney was tough defender who consistently shut down many of the era’s best shooters. While still active as a player, he began to coach his alma mater, St. Francis College, where he remained for nine seasons compiling a 125-77 record.